Small price to pay for our future generations

YOURSAY 'I will fly back to Malaysia to cast my vote, too, and pray that most overseas Malaysians will do the same.'

Why I must come home to vote

Anonymous #8211967: To those fortunate souls (or unfortunate because you were ‘driven' out of this country by unfair circumstances at home) who have made it in a foreign land, I salute your courage.

Please come home to vote out this ‘regime' (government is too kind a word) for a better future for our younger generations.

I was ‘fortunate' to be admitted into a local university and subsequently given a job in the civil service. But I did not cherish that part of my life due to the constant discrimination ala the NEP.

I left the civil service in much anger but found happiness outside the civil service.

No Eye See X_X: I will fly back to Malaysia to cast my vote, too, and pray that most overseas Malaysians will do the same. It is a small price to pay for the future generations in Malaysia. I hope that they won't experience what we've faced.

Boonpou: William de Cruz, your life history is not an anomaly. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, went through the same discriminatory journey. I myself went through the same horrid experience.

I was also a straight A student until my MCE (SPM), and then HSC (STPM). It was shocking for me when I got my results. I then decided to study in the United States, washing dishes, waiting tables, while I underwent my undergraduate degree.

I have since got my PhD and became an assistant professor in the US. And now I am an associate professor in Canada. Imagine if I did not decide to take the chance to leave. But this is not the journey with so many other non-Malay Malaysians.

I too will fly back and vote to get rid of this systematic racist regime. I can most definitely afford the airfare and my students will understand why I have to cancel one class in order to set justice in motion.

I don't care how much problems Pakatan Rakyat has but to vote for BN, especially Umno, is a vote against humanity.

Anti-Corruption: William, I am from your era. I can recollect the events you mentioned. I was a straight A student as well but I left for Singapore 35 years ago. I am professionally successful now and I divide my time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The only reason I did not give up my Malaysian citizenship is because I want to ensure that I can help to vote out this despicable, corrupt and racist Umno-led government.

My elder daughter is a doctor in London and I have advised her never to return until we terminate the tenure of this regime.

Next week, I will take my younger daughter for college entrance exams in UK and I will give her the same advice. But I will have no problem though because even at the young age of 13, she came home from school one day and told me:

"Daddy, during a global perspective discussion today on the American Dream versus 1Malaysia, all my classmates retorted ‘1Malaysia sucks!'

Ding Jeng Chung: I am working in Singapore. I have a few colleagues who are also Malaysian. We are planning to take a few days off just to return to Malaysia to vote in the coming general election.

I think this is the least we can do to help save our beloved country.

Tancc: I am also a Malaysian living in Singapore since the 80s. My wife and children are Singaporean but I kept my Malaysian citizenship.

I was asked by many why I didn't change it. My reply was that my heart and soul are with Malaysia.

I love Malaysia but I hate Umno policies and I will not change my citizenship just for the sake of convenience.

I compile a weekly PDF newsletter of articles of interest to send to concerned Malaysians and asking them to forward to all other concerned Malaysians.

Those interested, please send me an email to ge13forall@hotmail.com and you can do the same. For the record, I never miss any general election; I always come back to vote.

NH Gong: My, oh my. Just coming home to vote (and for a holiday) and making such a big deal out of it. Just think of what DAP leaders Lim Guan Eng, Lim Kit Siang and Co had gone through. Anyway, this small awakening is better than nothing.

Ferdtan: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step," said Lao Tzu. William de Cruz, by willing to come back home to vote in the coming GE is one small step for all Malaysians who are based overseas.

"Individually you are one drop, together we are one ocean," so said some wise man. Never underestimate the importance of ‘one', lonely as it may seems, but the inspiration of your desire to return to do your duty to vote may grow exponentially when others follow your lead.

An idea, especially a seemingly simple task like wanting to come home to vote, may stir the hearts of many overseas Malaysian residents to come home on election day.

We hope some creative video producers can assist through YouTube's to encourage others to come home. William can play the lead, with a theme like: "I am coming home to vote, are you too?"

RL: We need more of you to come back and overcome the ‘instant voters' that have been given ICs in exchange for votes for BN. As Bersih co-chair S Ambiga says, if everyone votes against BN, there's nothing that they can do.

Abuminable: Thanks, William, for your impassioned personal account of how Umno-style ‘apartheid' impacted your life.

The sincerity and veracity of everything you say speaks for itself and your anger and anguish are shared by all who have not lost their humanity to a false and malignant ideology of racial and religious supremacy.

I turned 21 when then-premier Abdul Razak introduced the NEP and, at the very beginning of my life as a young adult, found myself classified as a ‘second-class citizen'.

However, because I received absolutely no sponsorships from the ruling establishment, I ended up being far more resourceful, aware and capable than if I had had the misfortune to have been pampered and promoted beyond my own level of competency.

Llfly: William, you are clearly very bitter about your experiences and my heart bleeds for you. I very much hope that having the opportunity to speak these words has given you some closure. I applaud your wish to come back and vote.

Taikohtai: Of course, the Election Commission (EC) is trying its best to deny all overseas Malaysians their right to vote.

Don't for a single moment believe that EC is doing its best for them because it is akin to asking it to allow more legitimate opposition votes against its master.

Perhaps AirAsia might want to do a patriotic promotion on election week, no?

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